NIH Training Center
The Quarterly Digital Newsletter from the NIHTC
NIHTC Professional and Leadership Development Program Updates
If you’re ready to advance your leadership skills to the next level and build a strong network across NIH, consider your options through the NIH Training Center. Opportunities to participate are around the corner this fall and winter:
- The Management Seminar Series (MSS) has set its 2022 schedule, complete with extra breakout sessions to connect with colleagues. The MSS 2022 call for nominations through NIH Executive Officers (EOs) will emerge in late October.
- The Mid-level Leadership Program (MLP) FY22 series are currently on hold while contractual arrangements are being resolved. Rest assured, status updates will be posted to the program webpage and updates shared with primary MLP contacts and NIH leadership, before a call for nominations is distributed to EOs. Thank you for your patience and flexibility.
- The 2022 call for the Senior Leadership Program (SLP) nominations was announced to EOs at the end of September. All SLP sessions ran at full capacity in a virtual environment in 2021. In 2022, we will kick off with a virtual session and deliver subsequent sessions in formats that align with HHS and NIH policy. If you’d like to participate in the 2022 SLP, visit our Continuum of Leadership Programs site to learn more about all of our leadership programs to determine if the SLP is right for you, and talk with your supervisor.
- The NIH Executive Leadership Program is currently in the contract re-compete phase. We look forward to announcing our learning partner for this esteemed program and starting recruitment in February. If you are an existing “Top 6” leader, this program is an excellent resource! Stay tuned for details about the 2022-2023 session.
REI “Groundwater” Seminar Available Now
In partnership with the UNITE Initiative, the NIHTC worked to bring the Racial Equity Institute’s (REI) Groundwater Seminar to the NIH. This 1.5 hour seminar took place on August 13th and is now available to all NIH employees to view as an NIH videocast. The NIHTC has featured REI’s “Groundwater” training in the Senior Leadership Program (SLP) for over three years. REI has also facilitated trainings to the NIH Senior Leadership Team, UNITE Initiative members, members of the NIH Anti-Racism Steering Committee, and members of NIH’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Employee Resource Groups. The seminar elaborates on REI’s “Groundwater” metaphor and framework to explain the nature of racism as it currently exists in the United States. We hope you’ll take this opportunity to view the seminar.
Virtual Classes in the 1st Quarter
The NIHTC is pleased to provide a peek at the upcoming virtual classes being offered in FY22 Q1, with an early heads up that we plan to run training virtually through February 2022. Registration for classes begins in October. Visit our Course Catalog for class details. Billing for classes will occur when the NIH business systems are back online.
The NIHTC is available to provide guidance and answer questions on upcoming classes. Contact us at NIHTrainingCenter@nih.gov or (301)-496-6211.
Check out our full list of November and December Classes
Congrats, NIH Interns and Fellows!
The NIH hosted the 63rd Annual Commencement Ceremony for the class of 2021 Management Interns (MI) and Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) on September 10.TheMI and PMF Graduation Overview profiles this year’s speakers and graduates.
Please join us in congratulating the Intern and Fellow class of 2021!
Learn about our Intern & Fellow Programs
The Proof Is In the Numbers
The NIHTC had another stellar year – thank you for counting on us to help you accomplish your learning and development goals. It’s quite clear that NIH is an organization that takes great pride in continuous improvement and discovery. If you are new to the NIH or have not yet experienced an NIHTC program, course, or service, please explore the NIHTC Website and learn how we can help you grow in your NIH career.
Which LMS Class Is Right for You?
The NIH Training Center offers two Learning Management System (LMS) classes at NO COST to your IC: LMS Learning Administrator and LMS Local Learning Registrar. Use the questions below to help you and your supervisor determine the appropriate class for you.
- Do you enter courses in the LMS so staff in your IC can attend?
- Do you manage class rosters and run reports?
- Do you add IC staff to mandatory training exemption lists (exception NIH Anti-Harassment)?
- Are your classes available to the NIH?
- Will you be responsible for attaching online course content?
If you answered “Yes” to any of the five (5) questions above, then the LMS Learning Administrator course is right for you! This course is offered every other month (December, February, April, June, and August).
Let’s switch gears and see if you answer “Yes” to any of the following five (5) questions. If so, then attend the LMS Local Learning Registrar class. This class is also offered on every other month (November, January, March, May, July, and September).
- Are you approving training registrations for the NIH Training Center on behalf of your supervisor or Servicing Administrative Officer (AO)?
- Do you register IC staff for training classes?
- Need to add completions for IC staff that have taken classes external to the LMS?
- Do you reactivate deactivated LMS accounts? (LMS accounts are deactivated after 366 days of inactivity)
- Do you run reports on IC staff completions, especially for mandatory training (exception – NIH Anti-Harassment)?
BUT…What if you are a Servicing Administrative Officer (AO)?
Formal training is not required if you are a Servicing AO. AOs are automatically provided access to approve a training registration after the supervisor/manager approves the order. Servicing AOs are granted the role called Additional Approvers on Orders (AAO). The responsibility of an AAO is to make the second level of approval and add a valid CAN. To learn more about how to complete the tasks, please visit the NIH LMS Support Page and scroll down to the section for “Additional Approvers on Orders” to learn more.
Retirement Planning for You
The NIH Training Center offers retirement preparedness workshops for every stage of your Federal career. These workshops will assist in guiding you to map your eventual retirement. Explore these offerings as you plan for FY22!
• Understanding FERS Benefits for Early-Career Employees Workshop
This one-day workshop is designed for employees participating in the Federal Employees Retirement System with 2-5 years of federal service.
You will learn the 3-tiered system - that Social Security and the TSP are as important as the payments to FERS. A valuable reminder for those who are early in their careers … don’t wait until mid-career to know this!
• Mid-Career Financial Planning for Retirement Workshop
This two-day workshop is designed for the FERS employee with 5-20 years of federal service, or who entered federal service mid-career.
• Pre-Retirement Workshop (CSRS) and Pre-Retirement Workshop (FERS)
These three-day workshops are designed to provide those on the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) and within 10 years of retirement, an overview of their federal retirement benefits.
• Pre-Retirement Workshop (FERS) - Three Consecutive Fridays
Same as our above FERS workshop but runs three consecutive Fridays rather than three consecutive weekdays.
• Retirement Refresher Workshop
This course is designed for the Federal Employee within one year of retirement and is fine-tuning decisions on leaving service. Prior completion of the three-day Pre-Retirement Workshop is required.
Editorial Team
Keisha Berkley, Editor
Barb LeClair, Managing Editor
Elena Juris, Editor in Chief
Contributors
Bob Michon
Daniel Couturier
Michele Schwartzman
Pam Welbon
ShaRhaina Brown
Shima Daneshpour